Here’s a follow-up post to the earlier one about P&O’s Oriana leaving that company’s fleet in August 2019.

There’s still no hard information as to where she is going, although there are some rumours that it might be to Hong Kong – or elsewhere in China – for use as a casino ship. It’s suggested that Chinese buyers have been looking at her for a while, but we’re unable to strike a deal. Maybe now they have.

Here’s another thought: she may not be going anywhere. It’s the case that Oriana’s propulsion system is different from that of any other ship in the fleet (or indeed pretty much any other modern cruise ship) in that she has a mechanical transmission rather than electric propulsion motors. Is it possible that it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep that system in good order? The mechanical parts would have been bespoke when she was built by Meyer Werft in the early/mid 90s, and it might be that replacement parts are just too difficult or too expensive to source. It’s also the case that a 50-night cruise had to be cancelled in the New Year in order for her to receive urgent maintenance, and I don’t think we ever heard the full story about that. Maybe P&O / Carnival have decided that she can’t be made reliable enough for continued service?